Dragon Age IV: The Veilguard

[Tawmis]

I hope your party isn't like the Knights of the Dinner Table. Bob, Dave and Brian hate getting railroaded like that, and will roll up new characters just to see if they can beat the dragon.
"My character is Knuckles Wallclimber IV! His daddy, Knuckles III, told him all he knew!"

One group I DM for (Anita's group) is much wiser (typically). The Work Group however, still needs a few lessons in "team work."

[DeadPoolX]

Can't say I really care. After the last two BioWare RPGs (Inquisition and Andromeda) I really don't think they know how to make a good game anymore, or rather, they don't give a damn about anything that isn't online and full of loot crates.

I didn't even finish Inquisition. The game was a constant fetch-quest, the story was lackluster, the characters forgettable, and the character graphics were awful. On the flipside, the environments were awesome. Overall, the only way to make Inquisition palatable was to use a ton of mods, which is pretty sad.

As far as an Andromeda is concerned... well, it's only a Mass Effect game in name only. It has more in common with Anthem than the ME series.

So yeah... DA4 doesn't really mean much to me at this point.

To me, the best Dragon Age game was DA2 as far as characters and storyline are concerned. That game had many technical problems and some questionable design decisions, but I felt the characters were very personable and interesting. Also, I liked the fact the story wasn't the usual "you're the special savior of the world" BS. You're just some guy in a city trying to survive and make the best out of a bad situation. I wouldn't want every RPG to be like that, but it was a nice change of pace.

[Tawmis]

Can't say I really care. After the last two BioWare RPGs (Inquisition and Andromeda) I really don't think they know how to make a good game anymore, or rather, they don't give a damn about anything that isn't online and full of loot crates.
I didn't even finish Inquisition. The game was a constant fetch-quest, the story was lackluster, the characters forgettable, and the character graphics were awful. On the flipside, the environments were awesome. Overall, the only way to make Inquisition palatable was to use a ton of mods, which is pretty sad.
As far as an Andromeda is concerned... well, it's only a Mass Effect game in name only. It has more in common with Anthem than the ME series.

I still have not finished Andromeda... and I got it day 1, pre-ordered, the whole 9 yards. Inquisition, I didn't mind. It was a lot of fetch-quest, but I still enjoyed the story and character. Andromeda, I can't even say that. I can't stand the character. Don't care for the story so far. I can't stand the planet I am currently on (the super dark jungle like planet, forgot the name). Every blue moon, I pick it up, play for an hour, and like, "Yeah. That's enough." I want to finish the game... I really do... but, it's an epic struggle.

To me, the best Dragon Age game was DA2 as far as characters and storyline are concerned. That game had many technical problems and some questionable design decisions, but I felt the characters were very personable and interesting. Also, I liked the fact the story wasn't the usual "you're the special savior of the world" BS. You're just some guy in a city trying to survive and make the best out of a bad situation. I wouldn't want every RPG to be like that, but it was a nice change of pace.

I think the first Dragon Age remains my favorite. DA2 had great characters, but I still enjoyed the first one (even character wise) over the second one. Although, I did fall in love with the gypsy looking chick in DA2.

[Rath Darkblade]

Isabella? I think I can tell why - because she has big, pretty ... eyes?

[Tawmis]

Isabella? I think I can tell why - because she has big, pretty ... eyes?

That's her.

And also she has that dirty gypsy look to her. Rawr.

[Datadog]

A heads-up that I'm waist-deep into Andromeda right now. So far, I'm on board with the "I see where they're going with this, but it doesn't work" crowd, but coming off of DA3, I at least find the gameplay and sidequests more engaging. I wish DA3 had more jump-jets. Would have made shard collecting way more fun.

[Tawmis]

A heads-up that I'm waist-deep into Andromeda right now. So far, I'm on board with the "I see where they're going with this, but it doesn't work" crowd, but coming off of DA3, I at least find the gameplay and sidequests more engaging. I wish DA3 had more jump-jets. Would have made shard collecting way more fun.

Andromeda is like the game I go and play, when I am feeling so great, that I know I need to ruin my mood. One of these years, I believe, I may eventually finish it between my hour sessions of playing and hating myself for even trying.

[DeadPoolX]

From what I understand, Dragon Age 4 is going to be an always-on live service built entirely around multiplayer and incorporating loot crates and micro-transactions.

(There are a lot of articles and videos about this, I just didn't feel like linking to each one, but a quick Google search will bring them up.)

Because EA is stubborn to the point of absurdity (such as using game engines for genres they aren't designed for) they're using Anthem as a blueprint. This means they're designing DA4 to be more like Anthem, despite the devs saying "we're not making Anthem with dragons."

Well... yeah, they kind of are since the plan is to favor the monetization-centric approach used in Anthem and in fact, nearly every EA game. Even if that weren't the case, they're basically abandoning the story-heavy RPG gameplay in favor of multiplayer combat.

I'm okay with multiplayer as a feature or extra, but the idea of making DA multiplayer-only is insane. It'd be like turning DOOM into a point-and-click adventure game. Sure, you could do it if you really wanted to, but it wouldn't make sense and do nothing except piss off the old/original fanbase.

But maybe that's it: the original fanbase for story-heavy RPGs with choices don't make the same sort of money (on a consistent and long-term basis) that online shooters do, and as we all know, the only thing EA is interested in is "how much money can we make?" Granted, every publisher wants to make a lot of money, but some at least have an interest in the product itself beyond dollar signs.

Unfortunately, I think we just need to accept the fact that BioWare — the company we knew and whose products we enjoyed — is dead.

[Rath Darkblade]

A heads-up that I'm waist-deep into Andromeda right now. So far, I'm on board with the "I see where they're going with this, but it doesn't work" crowd, but coming off of DA3, I at least find the gameplay and sidequests more engaging. I wish DA3 had more jump-jets. Would have made shard collecting way more fun.

I looked up "jump-jet" and found pictures of fighter planes ... so, maybe a wearable jet-pack?

DPX ... sigh. Ah, well - we'll always have Oghren's dirty mind and Alistair twirling his pike!

Yes, taking DA4 and turning it into a multi-player-only-combat game sounds dreadful. That makes it a completely different kind of game - not Dragon Age, but Dragon Arena. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand in the red corner, in his trademark no-boxer-shorts-at-all, it's a Red Dragon!" *choruses of "yay" and "boo"*

Oh, well. For anyone looking for the next big-budget ultra-shiny RPG, there's always Elder Scrolls 6 ... whenever that behemoth will come out.

[Tawmis]

From what I understand, Dragon Age 4 is going to be an always-on live service built entirely around multiplayer and incorporating loot crates and micro-transactions.

If this is even remotely true, I will not be picking it up - and sincerely hope it tanks, so that they see this was not the way to go.

Though they will probably just fire the team, and blame them for "a bad game."

[Datadog]

Andromeda is like the game I go and play, when I am feeling so great, that I know I need to ruin my mood. One of these years, I believe, I may eventually finish it between my hour sessions of playing and hating myself for even trying.

For me, a huge problem with the game is simply the characters. The whole team is like a watered-down version of ME1's crew, and the Pathfinder's role is so simple, I can't understand why nobody else on the Nexus can do her job. There's literally no reason for all these characters to be doing what they're doing.

I did stumble upon a sidequest last night that almost explains the whole game in some way. On the planet Kadara, Ryder answers an SOS, only to discover two stoners sent out an emergency distress to come save their marijuana plant. And one of the immediate dialogue options is "How can I help?" And that's when it hit me: Ryder is a pothead. She's been smoking blunts during loading screens and has spent the entire game high. And it's explains so much: 1) Her crazy facial acting, 2) her crazy run cycle, 3) how all her dialogue sounds laid-back and jokey, 4) how she keeps wandering into random caves and discovering ancient civilizations by mistake, and 5) why she hasn't put Peebee out an airlock yet.

And considering this game was made in Edmonton, and Alberta's always high on weed, it only stands to reason that the game's writers were high as well. This may even explain "Dragon Age IV" while we're at it.

[DeadPoolX]

Andromeda's big issue for me is the lack of control over teammates (including their loadouts) and the inability to save when and where I want if you're involved in a story-related mission. That's complete BS too, because all the other DA and ME games allowed this. Even if you consider all the issues they had with the Frostbite engine, Inquisition was still capable of saving during a story-related mission and that came before Andromeda, so there's no excuse for this laziness.

And considering this game was made in Edmonton, and Alberta's always high on weed, it only stands to reason that the game's writers were high as well. This may even explain "Dragon Age IV" while we're at it.

Alberta? I'd say BC is full of idiot potheads, especially considering all the marijuana shops opening up. Victoria even has a new marijuana bakery, because that's exactly what this city needs, right? It's not like there aren't enough morons and assholes here, but now they'll also be high!

[Rath Darkblade]

Andromeda is like the game I go and play, when I am feeling so great, that I know I need to ruin my mood. One of these years, I believe, I may eventually finish it between my hour sessions of playing and hating myself for even trying.

And considering this game was made in Edmonton, and Alberta's always high on weed...

It is? That's the first time I've heard of that - but of course, I'm on the other side of the world.

Just looked it up on wiki. One sentence there made me crack up laughing:

The national Canadian Cannabis Chamber is based in Alberta, and is staffed by Jonathan Denis, the province's former Justice Minister, and Rick Hanson, the former police chief of the province's largest city, Calgary.

Yup - turning the poachers into gamekeepers. That sounds familiar. Why does it remind me of "Yes, Prime Minister"?

Jim Hacker: We got to give him something, I promised.

Sir Humphrey: Well, what is he interested in? Does he watch television?

Jim Hacker: He hasn't even got a set.

Sir Humphrey: Fine, make him a Governor of the BBC.

This may even explain "Dragon Age IV" while we're at it.

Oh dear. Take a character like Varric or Isabella, and add weed-influenced dialogue/art? Sounds even more ridiculous than it already is. "Dragon Age: Now with tie dye shirts, bell-bottoms, leisuire suits, jump suits"...

[Tawmis]

Oh dear. Take a character like Varric or Isabella, and add weed-influenced dialogue/art? Sounds even more ridiculous than it already is. "Dragon Age: Now with tie dye shirts, bell-bottoms, leisuire suits, jump suits"...

Hey! What's wrong with Leisure Suits?

[Rath Darkblade]

There's nothing wrong with leisure suits, but in the proper setting. It's like asking Larry Laffer to wield a double-bladed axe, like Oghren. It won't be Larry Laffer any more. Right?